Taj?f? must be done in a moderate manner; stretching not one’s back too much nor huddling oneself too much.

Some muslims behave like animals in their Sal?t the thing that indicates their sense of carelessness towards it. Some of them may look here and there like a fox does, spread their arms on the ground like lions, do their Sal?t so quickly in the same manner a crow does when eating, stick to a certain place in which one does his Sal?t like a camel does regarding his resting place, sit on one’s buttocks spreading one’s feet like dogs do when they sit, or moving one’s hands to the left and to the right when reciting Tasl?m in the same manner horses move their tails.

Ibn Al-Qayyim said: ‘Our Shar?‘ah prohibited that a muslim act in the same manner the Kuff?r, animals, demons, bedouins or women [as for men] act. While being in Sal?t, we [muslims] are also forbidden to act in the same manner animals or the ignorants behave. (1)

’Anas ( - رضي الله عنه -) related that the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) said: ‘Straighten your selves when doing Suj?d; never spread your arms on the ground as dogs do’. (2)

Explaining this had?th, Im?m An-Nawaw? said: ‘The had?th means that when prostrating, a muslim must put his hands on the ground lifting his arms a way from it and totally a way from his sides that his armpits could be seen in case they were uncovered. This manner of doing Suj?d is recommended by all ‘Ulamah, if it was abandoned one incurs a sin upon himself but his Sal?t is valid, All?h ( - عز وجل -) knows best.

The ‘Ulamah stated that the rationale behind such a manner of doing Suj?d is to show complete submission [to All?h ( - عز وجل -)] and it gives a sense of activity. On the other hand, spreading one’s arms on the ground -like dogs do when they sit- cast a sense of carelessness towards Sal?t and not being fully given to it’. (3)